After the Substitute Male Bride Fled, the Emperor Turned Dark - Chapter 18

The riddle guessing competition was one of the most popular events of the Thousand Lantern Festival, with large crowds gathered in front of every stall.

Fang Zhiyan glanced down at the two steamed buns stuffed inside his clothing, which could not withstand much squeezing. He promptly turned in another direction, offering a high sounding excuse. “We should probably skip this, lest Your Majesty gets jostled by the crowd.”

As the throngs of people surged, a small child suddenly rushed toward them. Xiao Huan acted quickly, catching Fang Zhiyan’s arm and pulling him closer. “There are indeed many people. We must stay close so we do not get separated.”

As he spoke, he slid his hand down and firmly interlaced his fingers with Fang Zhiyan’s.

The walk from the riddle stalls to the city moat took about the time it takes to finish two pots of tea. However, Fang Zhiyan found the journey somewhat agonizing. Previously, they had only been in close proximity; today, they were actually holding hands. They looked as intimate as a married couple.

Just as he was thinking of a way to inconspicuously withdraw his hand, an incredibly arrogant voice suddenly pierced through the layers of lantern light, echoing across the area. “Stop acting so high and mighty! Since you have already boarded this pleasure boat, there is no need to play the part of a chaste and virtuous woman!”

Fang Zhiyan’s eyes widened. This was the classic opening line of a profligate heir bullying an innocent person. He immediately perked up his ears to listen and looked toward the source of the noise.

On the nearby river, a massive pleasure boat was adrift. The vessel was ornately carved and decorated with gauze lanterns, making it look far more grand than the surrounding boats. Standing on the deck was a young man dressed in opulent silk. He appeared to be in his early twenties, and his features were filled with haughtiness.

A woman in a pink dress, whom he was harshly questioning, was slumped on the floor. She clung to a pillar for dear life, weeping piteously. At the foot of the Emperor, these profligate heirs surprisingly showed no restraint whatsoever.

The surrounding people pointed and whispered as they heard the commotion, but not a single person dared to step forward. After all, the capital was crawling with such powerful sons of the elite, and ordinary citizens simply could not afford to offend them.

Lan Ruo knit her brows slightly. She felt as though the voice was strangely familiar, but she could not recall where she had heard it.

On the pleasure boat, the young man continued to shout, “You refuse the face I am giving you, do you? Men, tie her up!”

The woman was sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath. “Please let me go, Young Master! I am already married and only work in the kitchen of this boat to support my family. Please, show some mercy!”

The expressions of the bystanders instantly turned to righteous indignation. In the minds of ordinary people, there was a vast difference between a voluntary courtesan in a brothel and someone simply working to provide for their family. Had the former encountered such trouble, they might have despised the man, but they would have stayed out of it with less sympathy. For the latter, however, it was different; they projected themselves onto her. How desperate would they feel if they worked hard to support their families only to encounter such a villain?

Fang Zhiyan frowned deeply, a wave of intense loathing rising in his chest. He instinctively looked at Xiao Huan. His gaze clearly said: “Are you really not going to do anything about this?”

Seeing that he looked like a cat about to bristle, Xiao Huan raised a hand and patted his head soothingly. Fang Zhiyan looked at him with a face full of questions.

Xiao Huan raised his left hand and made a subtle gesture. The guards following in the shadows received the order and headed toward the pleasure boat. Seeing this, Fang Zhiyan finally felt a bit of relief. While waiting to see the heir get what he deserved, he remarked bitterly.

“A son’s faults are the father’s failure. Your Majesty should identify who he is and harshly reprimand his father in court tomorrow. Any family that can raise such a degenerate cannot be composed of good people.”

Just as he finished speaking, the guards boarded the boat and, without a word, kicked the young man behind the knees. The heir cried out in pain and collapsed unexpectedly. The watching crowd erupted in cheers.

Fang Zhiyan was just about to join the crowd in clapping when he heard the young man scream, “How dare you! Do you know who I am? Let me go! My younger sister is Concubine Zhuang, His Majesty’s most beloved consort! You, mph!”

Lan Ruo had a sudden realization. She slapped her thigh in distress. She knew why the voice sounded familiar; it was the only son of the Second Master of the Fang family!

Fang Zhiyan’s hands, which were halfway through a clap, slowly lowered. He turned to look at Lan Ruo with uncertainty.

Lan Ruo’s face turned deathly pale. She quickly knelt to beg for forgiveness. “My Lady, I did not recognize him at first. He is indeed the only son of the Second Master. However, since he did not grow up in the capital and I have not seen him in years, I failed to recognize him.”

That was a close call. Fortunately, the man had not grown up in the capital. Fang Zhiyan pushed aside his embarrassment; his legs went weak as he prepared to kneel as well. “Your Majesty, please forgive us. The Fang family has failed in its upbringing.”

A second before his knees hit the ground, Xiao Huan extended his right foot and lifted him back up. It took less effort than the Emperor expected.

Xiao Huan noted the lack of weight, but said nothing. Fang Zhiyan averted his eyes, refusing to meet his gaze. He had not truly intended to kneel; the Fang family had committed the sin, so why should he bear the consequences? Thus, he followed the momentum and stood back up.

Xiao Huan did not make things difficult for him. He merely glanced at the kneeling Lan Ruo before shifting his gaze to the struggling figure on the boat. His tone was unreadable. “I do not blame you.”

Fang Zhiyan first acted profoundly grateful, then his tone shifted. “Your Majesty is magnanimous, but I feel uneasy. It would be better to give him some punishment.”

“Oh?” Xiao Huan sounded intrigued. “And what punishment does Concubine Zhuang think I should bestow?”

Lan Ruo quietly shuffled back a few steps. Eunuch Li put on his signature ambiguous smile and signaled the surrounding guards to move back, lest the flirtatious conversation between the two be overheard by others.

Facing the Emperor’s inscrutable gaze, Fang Zhiyan spoke with a sense of righteous justice. “Tomorrow in court, harshly reprimand my father and fine him a year’s salary. Then, throw that cousin of mine into the Imperial Prison.”

Xiao Huan silently tucked away his smile and looked toward the lake. “With a person as impartial as Concubine Zhuang, there should be a place for you in the Capital Prefecture.”

Fang Zhiyan took that as a compliment for the time being.

The surrounding people, having finished watching the drama and vented their anger, did not intend to disperse. Instead, they pointed their criticism toward the Fang family, which had recently been enjoying unmatched fame.

“I wondered how he dared to snatch a woman in broad daylight. It turns out he is the brother of that Concubine Zhuang.”

“Rumor has it that the Fang woman monopolizes the harem and acts in a domineering and arrogant manner. Seeing the conduct of her brother today, those rumors are likely true.”

“Do you seek death? How dare you gossip about Concubine Zhuang. With just a word from her, our bodies could fill the city moat tonight.”

Fang Zhiyan thought to himself that it was not quite that exaggerated.

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